Bilateral TKR Got out of surgery at about 5pm 6/4/2013

[Mimi]

I found the same problem with the pain meds. My husband had to go to the Dr. office 25 miles away and get the prescription. I have Medicare and United Health and it was the same problem.

As for sleep, I slept on my recliner for over 3 months and slept pretty well. Since my quads didn't function for 3 months it was easier than slipping around the bed and not being able to move well. It was easier to elevate my leg too and the ice stayed in place better.My husband built a box to put under the recliner to elevate it so that it was easier for me to get in and out of it.

Sleep with the meds any chance you get. You need lots of rest now, not running around or trying to do things in the house. You are at a big energy drain and you need to recharge those batteries often. This recovery takes a ton of patience and loads of time.

 

[gazelle7777]

Wear the TED stockings they gave you ,or should have. I still am wearing them to help with swelling from standing a long time. I also wear knee braces made out of elastic like neoprene. It worked well for me. kept swelling down along with pain. I also was warfain resistant and had to double up on doses for a while. hate rat poison. Good luck

No stockings given out at this joint hospital....protocols are so different place to place. They used to use the CPM machines and they use to use the ice machines as well. No more?

 

[gazelle7777]

DAY 8


Another sleepless night for me. Swelling is down from yesterday with lots of ice and staying off my feet. The trip yesterday have my blood levels checked really got them to swell. No big plans for today other than rest and doing my exercises. My stitches look pretty good really ...no drainage , no redness, I will try to take a picture today if possible. That is all for now . Will update later today

Going to try to upload a picture of my battle wounds off my iPad...

 

[denpucc]

Gazelle - i can't believe how little pain medication you were given for home! it is not easy to get refills as someone has to either pick up the script or they have to mail it which takes time. then you have to get someone to fill it for you. pain management is my biggest fear and i plan on talking to my OS and GP but i'm afraid they will think i'm nuts that normal pain meds aren't strong enough for me! it's not like i'm some drug addict but when i have surgery i haven't had tood relief.

Hugs,
Denise

 

[SAS]

Gazelle I will be join you soon for my second TKR on 27th June. Never be worried about asking for pain meds we all need them and some work better than others so ask for what you need. You seem to be doing OK so good luck. As for swollen ankles I get them I bought a wedge that goes in the bed or on the chair and keeps you legs higher than your heart. It work for me in keeping my ankles down.



Sheila

 

[gazelle7777]

Gazelle I will be join you soon for my second TKR on 27th June. Never be worried about asking for pain meds we all need them and some work better than others so ask for what you need. You seem to be doing OK so good luck. As for swollen ankles I get them I bought a wedge that goes in the bed or on the chair and keeps you legs higher than your heart. It work for me in keeping my ankles down.



Sheila

Sheila-since you have been through this before, is there a month when your legs start to look less swollen and more like a normal knee? lOL... Today I just do not see that day any time soon!

 

[referee54]

is there a month when your legs start to look less swollen and more like a normal knee?

For me, it was about the six-week mark---and then slowly the swelling subsided---although they, at times had some fits of increased swelling here and there. By six months the swelling was almost all gone for me---at eight months--normal.

 

[SAS]

My knee was still swollen when I went for my first call back to the hospital three months later, my consultant told me not to worry it would go down and it was not long after that it started looking normal again. I think it varies with everyone, like Tim says at six months mine were also back to what I call normal.

Sheila

 

[jenn8759]

The first few days of my surgery were a fog, but I do remember now that they also recirculated my blood, I totally forgot all about that. I also remember the one drain on my right leg was acting up. I have two holes in my legs above my knees from the drain holes. I woke up from anesthesia like I was waking up from a nap and I also had the femoral blocks on. When I opened my eyes after the surgery I thought "what a nice nap" and then I made a face and remembered what I had done. I did not have pain when I woke up, but both my knees being wrapped and all, felt a little odd, like a little pressure. Like I said, the first couple of days were a drug haze.

 

[referee54]

Like I said, the first couple of days were a drug haze.

I basically felt the same way---minus the drains. I did not read at all, and I felt, due to the pain meds, that I was living inside of a cotton ball.

 

[Lmarshall]

Gazelle forgive me as my pain meds are kicking in....how long before youwere able to walk? It took all my stregth yesterday tocomi g to standing 5x with assist. I feel like I have NO CONTROL OF MY LEG MUSCLES.

 

[Jacky48]

Gazelle, the swelling is normal! I too had swelling and Tim is spot on, I pretty much had what he experienced as far as the swelling goes.

Go slow, right now you just need lots of rest! Your whole body took a hit, not just your knees! It will get better and easier, that being said, you are just over a week out. I was still in rehab and not doing much at this point except very gentle PT twice a day and a lot of resting and icing.

 

[gazelle7777]

Gazelle forgive me as my pain meds are kicking in....how long before youwere able to walk? It took all my stregth yesterday tocomi g to standing 5x with assist. I feel like I have NO CONTROL OF MY LEG MUSCLES.

Good morning ! my surgery was late in the day, so i did not get to my room until 7pm. They made me stand and try to take a step my first morning there. But that was all. The next day I took more steps--but my left leg was still numb due to the femoral block(it was probably the leg they worked on last) and they put a brace on that leg, third day the numbness was gone and I could walk quite well with the walker. I walked up and down the hall and also used crutches which were good except gave me no support up an down from chairs or the bed. Now on day nine I am able to get about with the walker but the pain is bad...even with drugs. My upper thigh muscles are painfull. And my knees are very stiff. I feel like heck today actually :( The accumulation of no sleep, pain, drugs, etc. I think it is all getting to me now.

You will get a little stronger every day, but in these first few days... Do not expect too much. We have both been through a heck of a lot!!!
Be good to yourself. Feed your body good nourishing food, talk to people here any time of the night or day. Heck I am available 24 hours a day LOL!

 

[referee54]

but in these first few days... Do not expect too much.

Very true---and an excellent statement---just rest and heal---do not expect to do much of anything (because of my pain meds, and the "cotton ball effect". I did not want to.

My upper thigh muscles are painfull.

Keep icing and elevating this---this is very most likely from the tourniquet that was used during surgery.

And my knees are very stiff.

They will be for some time---considering what they have been through---the surgical trauma---they will be stiff and swolen, so just do your gentle stretches, your ankle pumps, etc.

 

[gazelle7777]

Very true---and an excellent statement---just rest and heal---do not expect to do much of anything (because of my pain meds, and the "cotton ball effect". I did not want to.


Keep icing and elevating this---this is very most likely from the tourniquet that was used during surgery.

They will be for some time---considering what they have been through---the surgical trauma---they will be stiff and swolen, so just do your gentle stretches, your ankle pumps, etc.

I look forward to your posts-so helpful! Can I ask you this...is it normal to be able to do deep knee bends on the 9th day? A bone smart friend of mine who had one knee done the same day as my bilateral said her PT had her doing a deep knee bend. I tried to attempt even a little one and could not. I start PT Monday. I am doing my stretches and such but I do not think I am ready for a deep knee bend. Am I behind that much?

 

[referee54]

is it normal to be able to do deep knee bends on the 9th day? A bone smart friend of mine who had one knee done the same day as my bilateral said her PT had her doing a deep knee bend. I tried to attempt even a little one and could not.

My goodness, no. You can try them all you like, but you won't be able to do one. It is like me trying to run a 10-flat 100-meter. I can try and try, but it is not going to happen.

Now, about three weeks into my recovery, my at-home PT suggest that I hold onto the kitchen counter and try to do them very gently and very slowly---and to not expect to much. I did, I believe, a couple sets of those each day. and iced afterward. I wonder how successful she was at doing the deep-knee bends?

Remember, having a BTKR means that both knees are now angry and swollen and disagreeable---gently, ever so gently and patiently, allow them to resume their normal activities.

 

[Janet2012]

Lol! Deep knee bend? It might have Seemed like a deep knee bend to her, but I can't imagine!

Edit: well wait, with one knee replacement and a strong other leg, it could be somewhat possible to do a knee bend with the strong leg doing all the work and the tkr leg doing more of a passive follow along, but even then!

 

[harplayer]

Hi all...
I am the BoneSmartie whose PT told me to do squats/deep knee bends during my session today...all I can say is OUCH! I did some as requested...they were very shallow...very slow...and 7 hours later...I am still achey...even with pain meds...so..please listen to your knees! This PT is very obsessed with the possibility of the development of adhesions..so he is very aggressive with me...and I am attempting to reign him in. Will I develop adhesions if I don't push through the pain as my PT suggests??
Thanks and good healing to all...
Harplayer

 

[referee54]

Will I develop adhesions if I don't push through the pain as my PT suggests??

I had adhesions---but not everybody gets them. Not doing the PT will not cause you to get adhesions---it is, I would say, more of a genetic thing. Some get them, very many do not get them. It has nothing to do with PT or squats/deep knee bends.

People on the other side of the pond, so to speak, do not do the PT like we do, and they do not have a higher incidence of adhesions.

 

[Dulcimer Diva]

I did too! I think that many of us had those...:rolleyes:

Last year it was my toes--whenever they looked like short little pink gnocchi, I elevated and iced till they got longer and skinnier again. You can actually watch that happening!